Opinion: WrestleMania 42 Predictions
- Harrison Soep
- Apr 17
- 5 min read
It’s that time of year again—WrestleMania season. Every year, I try to predict the full card, and this year has the potential to be a solid show on paper. Last year, I went 8–5 on my predictions, so let’s see if I can improve. If you’re new to this, I’ll list each match, give a quick take on the build, and predict the winner.
Night 1
Seth Rollins vs. Gunther
About a month ago, neither of these superstars had a clear direction for WrestleMania. That changed when Gunther attacked Rollins on an episode of Raw, setting up this match.
It’s surprising that these two haven’t had a real program before. Their last match dates back to 2023 and ended in a disqualification. This should be a hard-hitting, high-quality match, but I don’t think Gunther should be losing anytime soon.
Winner: Gunther
6-Man Tag Team Match: LA Knight & The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) vs. Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed
Yes—you read that right. IShowSpeed in a WWE match. After LA Knight confronted Speed at his house and put him through a monitor, this feud has taken a wild turn. Since this is a non-title match, a loss wouldn’t hurt Logan Paul’s group. Expect Speed to play a role in the finish.
Winner: LA Knight & The Usos
Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee vs. Becky Lynch
This should be the final chapter in their rivalry—and potentially the show-stealer of Night 1. Becky has struggled to put AJ away consistently, but I don’t see AJ winning a fourth straight PPV match. Also, there’s a possibility AJ steps away after this.
Winner: New Champion Becky Lynch
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Unsanctioned Match: Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre
In a perfect world, this might have been a bigger multi-man match involving Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. Instead, we get a brutal one-on-one match. With reports suggesting Drew McIntyre may take time off to film a movie, this feels like the right moment to elevate Fatu.
Winner: Jacob Fatu
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship (Fatal 4-Way)
There are multiple directions this match could go. While The Bella Twins are a possibility, Nikki Bella’s recent injury may impact their involvement. It wouldn’t shock me if they were removed from the match. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss feel like the most likely team to win it, but it wouldn't shock me if Nia and Lash retained the titles.
Winner: New Champions Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan
Liv Morgan earned this opportunity by winning the Royal Rumble, and notably, this is her first singles WrestleMania match (excluding pre-shows). However, numbers may play a factor. With potential interference from Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez, the odds are stacked against Vaquer.
Winner: New Champion Liv Morgan
Main Event: Undisputed WWE Championship Cody Rhodes Vs Randy Orton
This is a long-awaited WrestleMania matchup. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton have a deep history going back to Cody’s early days in WWE. With Orton winning the Elimination Chamber and turning heel, then Pat McAfee was to the feud for some reason? And Jelly Rolly too? I have the lowest expectations for this match. I think Pat saying he would leave WWE if Orton lost is making this prediction easier. Orton wins the WWE championship with the help of Pat McAfee.
Winner: New Champion Randy Orton
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Night 2
Brock Lesnar Vs Oba Femi
This is one of the most intriguing matchups on the card. It has the potential to be short but explosive. If WWE wants to build Oba Femi as a major force, this is the moment to do it. I have Oba Femi winning and it would shock me if Brock won this match.
Winner: Oba Femi
Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match: Penta Vs Je’Von Evans Vs Dragon Lee Vs JD McDonagh Vs Rusev Vs Rey Mysterio
This is going to be a fun match for sure. I think Penta wins because he just won the belt a couple of weeks ago. I am sure Je’Von Evans will fly around the ring. I think Penta retains, however if they decide to crown a new champ I think Je’Von wins.
Winner: Penta
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“The Demon” Finn Balor Vs Dominik Mysterio
I think Finn Balor wins only because the last time he used the Demon persona was when he lost to Edge back in WrestleMania 39. I think he is due for a win for this year's event. I do expect the rest of the Judgement Day to help Dom out, but I think Balor wins.
Winner: Finn Balor
United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn Vs Trick Williams
The reaction for Sami Zayn has been different the last couple of weeks with him getting booed. He beat Carmelo Hayes on an episode of Smackdown to become the new champ. I wish Carmelo was in this match. Him being off the mania card is so weird because he has been putting on fantastic matches in the weeks leading up to Mania. As for the match itself, I could see double turn with Sami being a bad guy and Trick being the good guy. I think Sami retains; I don’t think Trick needs the title just yet.
Winner: Sami Zayn
WWE Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill Vs Rhea Ripley
Jade Cargill’s run as champion has been underwhelming to say the least. She only defended her title once she got to 100 days as champion. I think Rhea wins here. The Smackdown women’s division needs a shakeup and Rhea winning could help it.
Winner: New Champion Rhea Ripley
World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk Vs Roman Reigns
CM Punk enters WrestleMania as World Heavyweight Champion, finally getting his long-awaited main event moment as the very last match on the biggest show of the year. Standing across from him is Roman Reigns the “OTC”. Expect a long, dramatic match with possible Bloodline interference. Whether it’s The Usos or someone else, outside involvement could decide the outcome.
Winner: New Champion Roman Reigns
Final Thoughts
On paper, this year’s show looks like a strong card. However, it doesn’t fully reflect the weaker storytelling behind some of these matches. There’s also been talk of WWE struggling to sell tickets for this year’s event, which isn’t surprising. Raising ticket prices and returning to the same venue in Las Vegas can make it harder to generate the same level of excitement.
Even though my overall interest in WWE is lower right now, I still expect them to deliver a great show, possibly even better than last year’s event. Ultimately, it will come down to the main events on both nights. Night 1 main events have consistently delivered, and if both nights hit, this could still be a memorable WrestleMania. Now the question is how many of these predictions will actually come true?
